In May 1968, a conflict between students and the university authorities in Paris precipitated a series of events that led to mass student protests, the biggest national strike in the history of France, and the dissolution of the Parliament. The revolt of May 1968 challenged capitalism and the basis of so-called ‘traditional values’ of European culture. It all started with discontent stemming from the ageing conservative, sexist, and homophobic government of Charles de Gaulle. One of the major factors was the continual reform of the French education model following the American system, favouring productivity over learning. These types of reforms were dispensed into all major universities in France throughout late 1967, most prominently at the Sorbonne. Initially, the students’ discontent was entirely aimed at the
structure of the university. Soon, student leaflets began to draw a parallel between students and workers. The students targeted oppressive structures present in society. They were inspired by comrades Che and Mao. Eventually, after a mass police crackdown upon a protest against the Vietnam War, the government demanded the universities to be closed down. Upon this, on the night of May 6,1968, barricades were quickly erected within the Sorbonne, and students occupied the campus as riots began moving into the streets.
By May of 1968, a massive general strike led by students and young workers broke out across France. For an entire month, one of the largest economies in the world came to a halt, around 10 million people were protesting on the streets of Paris. On 13 May 1968, workers and students held a one-day general strike, students occupied the Sorbonne, and about 1,000,000 students, teachers, and workers marched through the French capital, demanding the fall of the government under Charles de Gaulle and protesting against police brutality. Students were demanding reform of the “bourgeois” university system, an end to the “police state”, and the release of their leaders. Workers had a series of grievances, including poor state salaries, centralization, and discrimination. During the course of the strike, scores of factories were seized by workers, and students seized the universities. By 20th May, two-thirds of the French workforce were on strike, roughly 10 million workers. On 24th May, protesters took control of the Paris Stock Exchange, setting it on fire.
President Charles de Gaulle addressed the country the next day, calling for law and order and announcing an election. These resulted in a series of reforms, including improved working conditions and an education reform bill. The minimum wage was increased by 35%, a 7% wage increase for other workers, and half normal pay for the time on strike with the major employers, and salaries, in general, were boosted by industrywide agreements. The work-week was shortened, union rights expanded, public-sector companies became ever more generous vis-à-vis their employees, health insurance contributions were reduced, increased union rights, and a new election led finally to the resignation of General de Gaulle as the President of France. Today, when our universities are turning into tools to serve the capitalists by producing obedient workers, we should recreate May ’68. But this time, let us not stop at reforms!
